Brave shopkeeper fought off axeman

Attempted robber jailed for six years

A Peterborough man who threatened a shop worker with an axe while attempting to rob a food shop in Peterborough has been jailed for six years.

Jason Parkinson, 22, entered the AK Food Store, in Central Avenue, Peterborough, at about 12.20pm on 10 April.

Astheshopkeeperwas unboxing items alone, Parkinson made his way through the shop towards him.

Hepulledoutanaxefroma holdall bag and began waving it around.

Parkinson demanded the shop worker open the cash register and hand him money, while making threats to kill him.

The victim, a man in his 30s, initially backed offbutafter a moment he began fighting back in self-defence.

Following a struggle, the shop worker managed to grab Parkinson’s axe-wielding arm anddraghimoutsidetheshop.

Thevictimwasthenableto shout to passing members of thepublic, alerting onemanin a car who called police.

Officers arrived a short while later to find the victim had detained Parkinson himself and he was arrested.

Parkinson, of Tilton Court, Peterborough, admitted charges of attemptedrobbery andpossessionofanoffensive weapon. He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday.

Detective Constable Tom Hunt after the verdict, said: “This was a violent attempt to rob money from an innocent shop worker.

“However, thanks to the victim’s outstanding bravery, Parkinson was unsuccessful and was caught red-handed.

“I hope his time in prison gives himtimetoreflectonhis dangerous behaviour.”

Jason Parkinson.